Randomized controlled study to evaluate CellCept in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris.

Aspreva Pharmaceuticals Corporation is currently working to provide more evidence-based Medicines for less common diseases. The company recently announced the initiation of a Phase III trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil) with corticosteroids to achieve remission in patients with pemphigus vulgaris. The randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will evaluate mycophenolate mofetil in 77 patients with active pemphigus vulgaris over 52 weeks. The primary endpoint of this study is defined as minimally active disease (no persistent or new lesions) with CellCept and low-dose Steroid. The study will be completed in 2007.

Peptimmune has announced that it has initiated a Phase I clinical trial to test the safety of PI-0824 in patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV). The study is being undertaken at four sites. PI-0824 is a synthetic injectible peptide being developed ……

SNOWMASS, COLO — Anti-tumor necrosis factor therapies show great promise in the treatment of Takayasu’s arteritis resistant to conventional high-dose corticosteroids, Dr. Gary S. Hoffman reported at a symposium sponsored by the American College of Rheumatology. The first long-term study ……

BANFF, ALTA. — Pemphigus vulgaris is rare in childhood, Dr. Jeffrey Callen said in a poster session at the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology. The disease usually occurs between 40 and 60 years of age. Dermatologically, oral ……

ZURICH — The human leukocyte antigen class II DRB1*0402 allele proved to be the strongest genetic risk factor for pemphigus vulgaris in both whites and IndoAsians in the largest HLA typing study to date conducted in a European population, Dr….

A recent study published in the Archives of Dermatology evaluated adjuvant therapy with oral dexamethasone pulse therapy in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris. (2) This randomized, multi-center, placebo-controlled trial evaluated 20 patients with new pemphigus vulgaris. Patients were randomized to ……

Abstract Pemphigus Foliaceus (PF) is an antibody-mediated autoimmune disease. IgG directed against desmoglein-1 induces acantholysis in the superficial epidermis, leading to the classic presentation of crusted erosions in a seborrheic distribution. We report a case of a 51-year-old African-American man ……

The authors in this study injected littermates of neonatal athymic nude mice with pemphigus vulgaris (PV) to determine whether a cholinergic agonist can abolish PV IgG-induced acantholysis. Previous studies have determined the importance of cholinergic receptors in the pathogenesis of ……

Oral mycophenolate mofetil was safer and significantly more effective than intravenous cyclophosphamide for inducing remission of lupus nephritis in a randomized open trial. A total of 140 patients with active lupus nephritis were enrolled in the 24-week trial. In an ……Know Cutaneous Signs of Internal Malignancies.

SEA ISLAND, GA. — Manyofthe7%15% of patients with internal malignancy who develop cutaneous paraneoplasias will seek care for these dermatologic conditions first, so family physicians should be alert to their significance for early diagnosis, Dr. Toni L. McCullough said at ……

SORRENTO, ITALY — Patients with pemphigus who are younger than 40 years at the time of diagnosis and whose first remission is brief are likely to have a more severe course of disease and multiple relapses, Dr. David Mimouni said ……

NEW ORLEANS — Intravenous immunoglobulin helped to get pemphigus under control in patients with disease refractory to systemic steroids. In two studies, 15 patients with moderate to severe pemphigus vulgaris and 7 patients with severe pemphigus foliaceus experienced significant improvement ……

NEW ORLEANS — Data are piling up in favor of two experimental treatments for patients with pemphigus. Mycophenolate mofetil and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) appear to provide pemphigus patients with a welcome alternative to systemic steroids and a chance to finally ……

CellCept[R] (mycophenolate mofetil) in pemphigus vulgaris.Sponsors and Collaborators: Aspreva Pharmaceuticals, as part of the Roche-Aspreva Collaboration Agreement. Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a rare, severe, and chronic autoimmune disease that causes blisters of the skin and mucous membranes. This study will test the safety and efficacy ……

About IPPF

The International Pemphigus & Pemphigoid Foundation’s most important objectives are to provide patients and doctors worldwide with information about pemphigus and pemphigoid, and to provide patients and their caregivers much needed comfort and support so they can continue to live active, productive lives.Read more »